In this age of high-octane Gayle-force limited-overs cricket, ­England's target on Sunday, of 135 from 20 overs on a pristine pitch with all wickets in hand, represented a stroll in the park. On Friday on the same, if slightly more frisky, strip, they had been bowled out for 117 and West Indies buccaneered their way home in fewer than 16 overs. Two days later, given leeway by their ­performance in the field and Duckworth-Lewis, it was England who romped home in a more considered but equally effective manner with nine balls to spare.

"Two threes are the same as one six" is a saying of Andrew Strauss, who led the way once more with an unbeaten 79, and unless half a dozen are needed from the last delivery, he has a point. Where Gayle belted the living daylights out of the ball on Friday and his ­partner Lendl Simmons just fed him the strike, Strauss and Ravi Bopara constructed a cerebral partnership of 108 inside 15 overs, based on calculated ­aggression during the powerplays, and brilliantly judged running between times..

Sunday's nine-wicket win, disjointed match as it may have been, was a feather in the cap not just for Strauss, who has now played significant innings in all forms of the game on this tour (if one takes this ­latest effort as T20 by default), but for Andy Flower, too. After the ­humiliation of the previous game the coach cancelled the team's day off, got them up early and had them back at Kensington Oval by 8.30am on Saturday. That morning, provoked by ­batsman after batsman succumbing to the hook shot on a bouncy pitch, he had been scathing about the manner in which they had been unable to make their own judgment on what were appropriate shots for the conditions. But in criticising, he has to be prepared to offer an alternative and, in suggesting that they stay inside the line and ramp or carve the short ball over third man instead, he gave them the key to countering what ­inevitably came at them on Sunday. Whether it got through to ­everyone is conjecture, but a lesson in adaptability was surely learned.

Strauss was a revelation and has been all tour, impressive in the manner in which he, and Flower, have taken a side in some disarray – too comfortable in their environment but fragmented in the aftermath of the Pietersen-Moores hiatus – and ­challenged them. It is not an overnight process, but Strauss has pursued a ­difficult course doggedly while playing out of his socks. In terms of batsmanship alone it has been from the top drawer, but as an ­exemplar he has been without price. Sunday's was a key innings, though, for it laid down a marker for the summer's one-day internationals and, particularly, the World Twenty20 in June. On this tour, for no more reason than to gain stability, it was always intended that he should captain in all forms of the game. The ­summer will ­demand a rethink, for although Strauss's century in the second match in Guyana would appear to have ­cemented his place, there have been doubts about the shortest form.

Rather than clear them up, Sunday has probably muddied the water. The manner in which Strauss took on Lionel Baker's second over, to find the boundary with four successive blows, each to a different area, was a sign that he has more in the locker than generally he reveals. Overall, he played to a precise analysis of what was required to achieve the particular target.

To reiterate, though, this was a low target and as such the question remains whether Strauss, in particular on slower pitches, has the weight of stroke necessary to find the really big shots at the top of the innings. Towards the end, with a fielder brought up from the boundary to mid-on, he carted a six over long-on. It was the ninth he has hit in 82 one-day internationals, and, just ­clearing the rope as it did, it had still ­required the kitchen sink being thrown at it. Gayle hit 13 over the weekend. So, brilliantly as Strauss played, we should not be seduced into thinking that all top-order one-day problems have been solved: he may not have a gear beyond that he has revealed.

The reduction in overs played into England's hands, for they had scarcely a ­contribution from Kevin Pietersen, and one with ball alone from Andrew Flintoff. Pietersen had spasms in his lower back and Flintoff's left thumb was badly bruised and they stayed in Barbados on Monday for scans. They were due to rejoin the team in St ­Lucia today for Friday's showdown.

• This article was amended on Tuesday 31 March 2009. Andrew Strauss led the way with an unbeaten 79. This has been corrected.